Several technology leaders wrote the Senate Appropriations Commit...

Several technology leaders wrote the Senate Appropriations Committee leadership urging that funding be restored for the Commerce Dept.’s Technology Administration (TA). In the Commerce Justice State (CJS) appropriations bill (S-1585), the $8 million in funding for the TA was eliminated. The CJS bill was approved by the Appropriations Committee Sept. 4, but hasn’t moved to the Senate floor. CapNet, the Information Technology Assn. of America (ITAA), the Business Software Alliance (BSA), VeriSign and AT&T all signed the Sept. 22 letter urging restoration of TA funding. It was sent to Senate Appropriations Chmn. Stevens (R- Alaska), committee ranking Democrat Byrd (W.Va.) and Appropriations CJS Subcommittee Chmn. Gregg (R-N.H.). “As our chief ally in the Administration, TA is the primary federal agency charged with the explicit mission of working with U.S. industry to accelerate innovation and maximize technology’s contribution to U.S. economic growth,” the letter said. “The TA has been an important partner to the technology sector during times of prosperity and downturn.” The letter noted that the House had passed its CJS appropriations bill with full funding for the TA. The House Appropriations CJS subcommittee had eliminated funding for TA, but it was restored in the full committee markup.